Isaan voters once again hold keys to political power in Thailand

[webfact]

(Photo by Thai PBS)

 

Major political parties are setting their sights on the Northeast as local elections loom, paving the way for a national vote expected next year.

 

Pheu Thai and Move Forward, the main opposition parties, both have big plans for the country’s most populous region.

 

Move Forward announced plans to double the incomes of northeasterners in 10 years, at its general meeting on October 16 in Khon Kaen, a major northeastern city. Addressing the meeting, party leader Pita Limjaroenrat promised to pull the region out of what he called “the curse of development ban”.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/isaan-voters-once-again-hold-keys-to-political-power-in-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-10-21

 

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[John Drake]

Quote

Northeasterners earn an average of Bt20,600 per month,

I'm actually surprised it's that high. If the Move Forward people think they're going to get the average Isaan salary to 40,000 then they're selling fairy tales.

Edited October 21, 2021 by John Drake

[Anna Rak]

It will make little difference who holds the Key, The JUNTA will just fudge the figures and claim they won. It might not be Prayut but it will be military, ( or yet another Coup ) they have a long standing taste for the Brown Envelope but no idea how to run a country.

[Thailand]

There is only one faction controlling the result of any  election in Thailand for the foreseeable future.

[Gandtee]

And will the voters grasp the nettle? They haven't done so in the recent past. But if they do with success, the outcome will not change much. But here's hoping. 'Somethings better change!' The Stranglers.

Edited October 21, 2021 by Gandtee
spelling

[JustAnotherHun]

Isaaners will be happy to get new handouts. A couple of years ago it was 500THB/head ????

[jonclark]

6 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Isaaners will be happy to get new handouts. A couple of years ago it was 500THB/head ????

Ah the infamous 'night of the howling dogs' - So called as 'canvassuers' scurry from door to door on the night before the election delivering election goodies in return for votes. 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Major political parties are setting their sights on the Northeast as local elections loom, paving the way for a national vote expected next year.

In past years they've held the edge in voting, this time around I hope they use it more wisely.

[Denim]

40 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I'm actually surprised it's that high.

If Newin moved to Bangkok with his tribe that average would drop to about half of that

[Rimmer]

A troll post in overlarge fonts has been removed

[Gandtee]

44 minutes ago, jonclark said:

Ah the infamous 'night of the howling dogs' - So called as 'canvassuers' scurry from door to door on the night before the election delivering election goodies in return for votes. 

Don't forget the plastic buckets of soap powder and dried noodles.????

[Eric Loh]

Reading this extract from the wiki, we can easily figure out which party Issan voters will likely to choose.

 

"The first decade of the 21st century saw improvements in Isan's economy. Economic growth in the region reached 40 percent from 2007 to 2011, versus 23 percent for the country as a whole, and just 17 percent for greater Bangkok. Monthly household income rose 40 percent between 2007 and 2011, the biggest jump of any Thai region.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra came to power in 2001 and initiated a series of populist policies—-from virtually free healthcare to low-interest loans to the rural poor—that stimulated Isan's economy. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup, but his sister, Yingluck was elected prime minister in 2011. The economic renaissance of Isan coincided with the expansionary policies, from wage increases to farm subsidies, that were begun by Thaksin and continued by his sister. Yingluck's government brought in a nationwide minimum wage of 300 baht a day in January 2013. In some Isan provinces, that was an increase of 35 percent, among the biggest gains in the country, on top of a nationwide 40 percent increase in April 2012. Yingluck was deposed in early-2014 and replaced by a military government in May.

 

The military government's economic initiatives of 2016 call for two trillion baht (US$57 billion) to be fast-tracked into nationwide infrastructure projects. Only 10 percent of the funds are allocated to projects in Isan despite its accounting for 33 percent of the population. The majority will be spent on a new Khorat-Bangkok motorway".

[GreasyFingers]

1 hour ago, jonclark said:

Ah the infamous 'night of the howling dogs' - So called as 'canvassuers' scurry from door to door on the night before the election delivering election goodies in return for votes. 

They do it during the day here, no problems.

[Andycoops]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

I'm actually surprised it's that high. If the Move Forward people think they're going to get the average Isaan salary to 40,000 then they're selling fairy tales.

If that's the average, I'm a buffalo.

 

Unless of course there are several people earning hundreds of millions, aka Joe Ferrari, to offset the 4 figure amounts most Isaan people earn.

 

[zzaa09]

One would really have to be reaching to consider the somewhat establishment Pheu Thai to be opposition. 

The Move Forward group is a shell of what it once was.

 

There are at least a dozen organized political movements and recognized parties that are dismissed at hand and not allowed to participate. 

[Scott Tracy]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

then they're selling fairy tales.

Who isn't...?

[khunPer]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

I'm actually surprised it's that high. If the Move Forward people think they're going to get the average Isaan salary to 40,000 then they're selling fairy tales.

Don't forget it's househould income, i.e. "Northeast is the country’s second poorest region after the North in terms of household incomes."

 

Last time the minimum wage was raised from 200 baht per day to 300  baht per day, it just resulted in price increases. Shortly thereafter people complained they the could buy more for their money before the minimum income was raised. In a way, it's another way of buying votes...

[superal]

19 hours ago, John Drake said:

I'm actually surprised it's that high. If the Move Forward people think they're going to get the average Isaan salary to 40,000 then they're selling fairy tales.

I could not believe it was that high and a quick Google search found the article below . Also to make such a survey it can only be taken from registered employers not the stand alone self employed person . I reckon ita nearer 7000 baht a month

Wages in Thailand increased to 14609.09 THB/Month in the second quarter of 2021 from 14385.86 THB/Month in the first quarter of 2021. source: National Statistical Office of Thailand

[ScotlandtheBrave]

Sadly I do not believe for one minute that their votes are even counted, and the General is not giving up the power he seized seven years ago anytime soon.

[4MyEgo]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Move Forward announced plans to double the incomes of northeasterners in 10 years

[John Drake]

18 minutes ago, superal said:

I could not believe it was that high and a quick Google search found the article below . Also to make such a survey it can only be taken from registered employers not the stand alone self employed person . I reckon ita nearer 7000 baht a month

Wages in Thailand increased to 14609.09 THB/Month in the second quarter of 2021 from 14385.86 THB/Month in the first quarter of 2021. source: National Statistical Office of Thailand

It has to be fantasy. My wife's friends and family mostly work as police or in police administration in Khon Kaen or around Chaiyaphum. Most of them make around 10,000 to 11,000 per month and think they have a very good job (I don't mean "extras" that come with it).

[RafPinto]

17 hours ago, khunPer said:

Don't forget it's househould income, i.e. "Northeast is the country’s second poorest region after the North in terms of household incomes."

 

Last time the minimum wage was raised from 200 baht per day to 300  baht per day, it just resulted in price increases. Shortly thereafter people complained they the could buy more for their money before the minimum income was raised. In a way, it's another way of buying votes...

Was this 20k before Covid?

 

Must have been "farang" contributions to most of the Isaan girls.

[RafPinto]

9 minutes ago, John Drake said:

It has to be fantasy. My wife's friends and family mostly work as police or in police administration in Khon Kaen or around Chaiyaphum. Most of them make around 10,000 to 11,000 per month and think they have a very good job (I don't mean "extras" that come with it).

That's the base salary. Just to turn up at work

The real salary they make, once they get out on the street to "chase the criminals", business owners etc...